Welcome to PocketGamer.biz's weekly rundown of the stories clocking up the hits, picking up the click-throughs and generally keeping the advertisers happy by serving up page views.
Or, if you'd prefer, the top five stories currently domihttp://mercury5.pocketgamer.co.uk/shared/FCKeditor/editor/images/spacer.gifnating our readers' attention.
Each week, we'll be counting down the biggest news from the previous seven days, giving just a glimpse of the industry's big issues, from five to one.
FreeAppADay pushes virality, virtual rewards and app discovery with its iOS FunChat-powered social app
A standalone iOS app from FreeAppADay is due to arrive on the App Store, giving more social elements to its community from December 6.
It'll be powered by FunMobility's FunChat mobile engagement platform and will give the 5 million FAAD users a chance to interact directly with each other via text.
There's also the mysterious promise that one of the most popular iOS games will go free to celebrate the launch.
Click here to read more.
Promo site Appvent Calendar rolls out third annual free app giveaway
Ho ho ho and all that. Blacksmith Games' Appvent Calendar is fast becoming Christmas tradition for iOS device owners, as its entering its third year.
This year, however, the venture in which developers sign up to drop the price of their titles for a day - will be coupled with the launch of a dedicated app on the App Store.
"A new door on the Appvent Calendar will open every day with a link to the AppStore for you to download a new quality free game," the studio says on the Appvent website.
"We hope you are as excited for this as we are. We've been busy finding the absolute best games to bring to you."
Click here to read more.
Gameloft releases UNO for Free on Android, backed by in-app ads and incentivised downloads
Gameloft has hooked up with various networks to release a free Android version of its massively popular UNO card game, which would previously have cost consumers $2.99.
UNO for FREE is the full version of the game, including Quick Play, Tournament, and Multiplayer modes via online or local connections.
"Given the popularity of free games on the Android marketplace, Gameloft believes that this is a perfect platform for us to try out the new business model," read a Gameloft statement.
Click here to read more.
Zynga's sausage machine reputation to blame for failed PopCap and Rovio deals says New York Times
Zynga's reputation has worsened after CEO Mark Pincus had to leap to his firm's defence after criticism of its policy of forcing employees to relinquish pre-IPO shares.
Examples of internal strife were highlighted by the employees themselves, as a quarterly staff survey elicited 1,600 responses.
Among the criticisms were complaints of long working hours and stressful deadline periods, with one staffer proclaiming an intention to cash in and leave after the company's IPO.
Click here to read more.
Nokia claims Lumia 800 its 'best ever first week sales' in UK
Nokia shares had fallen by almost 9 percent after predictions from Bernstein Research analyst Pierre Ferragu setting the potential sales figure for its new Lumia 800 at around 500,000 units, half of the initially expected number.
That doesn't seem to be the case, however as Nokia spokesman Doug Dawson said in an e-mail to Bloomberg.
"Based on earliest data, the sales start of the Lumia 800 is the best ever first week of Nokia smartphone sales in the UK in recent history," he said.
Click here to read more.
Until next week, PocketGamer.biz pickers...
Hot Five
When Matt was 7 years old he didn't write to Santa like the other little boys and girls. He wrote to Mario. When the rotund plumber replied, Matt's dedication to a life of gaming was established. Like an otaku David Carradine, he wandered the planet until becoming a writer at Pocket Gamer.
Related Articles
Feature
May 13th, 2024
Hot Five: Dubai's new Gaming Visa, April's mobile game charts, and Xbox studio closures
Feature
May 7th, 2024
Hot Five: Supercell’s Squad Busters supremacy, Brawl Stars bounces back, and a games industry journey at King
Feature
Apr 29th, 2024
Hot Five: Supercell’s Squad Busters levels up, retro Nintendo on iOS, and Genshin Impact’s worst month yet
Top Stories
as
News
2 hours, 2 minutes ago
Nexon banks on big Dungeon & Fighter Mobile China launch as Q1 revenue declines
as
News
3 hours, 12 minutes ago
Netmarble cuts losses but revenue falls in Q1 after lack of new game releases
News
7 hours, 1 minute ago
Epic Games hit with €1.1m fine for unfair commercial practices in Netherlands
Feature
May 14th, 2024
Matej Lančarič's Squad Busters deep dive: Under the skin of 2024's biggest launch yet
Feature
May 14th, 2024
53 top mobile games in soft launch: Squad Busters, Battle Guys: Royale, Plants vs. Zombies 3, LEGO Hill Climb Adventures, and more
Events
Valencia Indie Summit 2024 | Europe | May 16th |
Mobidictum Meetup Berlin May 2024 | Europe | May 16th |
Digital Dragons | Europe | May 19th |
GamesBeat Summit 2024 | North America | May 20th |
Mobidictum Meetup Tallinn May 2024 | Europe | May 21st |
Nordic Game Spring 2024 | Nordic | May 21st |
Impact 2024 - Indie Games | May 23rd | |
Morocco Gaming Expo | Africa | May 24th |